Valve seat lapping machine



VALVE SEAT LAPPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1935 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 'RQ-ttkikfi lll ll l m March 30, 1937.

V. MANCUSO VALVE SEAT LAPPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 60 INVENTOR mid 060mm 9% ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES VALVE SEAT LAPPING MACHINE Victor Mancuso, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Axelson Manufacturing Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application October 14, 1935, Serial No. 44,836

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a valve seat lapping machine and more particularly to a machine for rapidly and accurately lapping ball valves and seats into fluid-tight sealing relation.

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a machine for rapidly and accurately lapping the seat of a valve by universal rotation of its related ball valve to form therebetween a fluid-tight sealing relation.

A further object is to provide a resilient rela-' tively fiat tractive surface to insure rotation of the valve ball during the lapping operation and to provide a means for operatively giving the valve seat under treatment a planetary motion while in lapping relation with the ball.

A further object is to rotate the flat ball-engaging surface about a center spaced from the center of rotation of the planetary valve seat carrying means whereby the ball will be universally turned to present all portions thereof into lapping relation with its related seat and whereby the cycloidal-like path scribed by the ball upon said surface will roll along ever changing paths upon said surface so as to avoid wearing grooves 5 in said surface.

A further object is to arrange the machine 'whereby a plurality of valve seats may be lapped by their related balls simultaneously during the operation of the machine.

A further object is to provide the machine with removable valve seat chucks whereby the machine may be utilized for lapping a wide range of sizes of seats and balls.

A further object is to provide means for yieldingly urging the valve seats into lapping relation with their related balls during the lapping operation whereby an even and accurate lapping effect is obtained.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the nature of the same is more fully understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth what is now considered to be a preferred embodiment. It should be understood, however, that this particular embodiment of the invention is chosen principally for the purpose of exemplification and that variations therefrom in details of construction or arrangement of parts may accordingly be effected and yet remain within the spirit and scope of the invention as the same is set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates a side elevational view of the lapping machine of this invention.

Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged fragmental sectional view of the planetary head.

Figure 3 illustrates a top plan elevational view of Fig. 1, and

Figure 4 illustrates a view similar to Fig. l

but showing portions of the machine in section.

The preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, may include a frame Ill having a base section I (only partially shown in Fig. 1), a base plate l2, and a standard it. These three portions of the frame may be securely fastened together by suitable screw means l4. Fastened to the upper front face of the standard l3 by cap screws I5 is a bearing bracket l6, which bracket is provided with spaced bearing bosses I1 and I8. As may be observed in Fig. 4, the bearing boss l8 may be counterbored to receive an anti-friction bearing 2!! and by means of bearing plate 2| may be fastened to the bearing boss. 'The bearing plate may be fastened upon the bearing boss in any suitable manner, not shown.

A shouldered sleeve 22 is tightly fitted into the bore of the antifriction bearing in such manner that the shoulder of the sleeve engages the under side of the bearing while. the cylindrical portion of the sleeve extends above the bearing to receive the pulley 23. The pulley is fastened to the sleeve in any suitable manner, not shown, so as to insure the rotation of the sleeve with the pulley. The hub of the pulley may be extended to engage the side of the bearing opposite to that engaged by the shoulder of the sleeve, whereby the assembly of the bearing, sleeve and pulley forms a compact unit. The upper end of a planetary drive shaft 24 is slidably mounted in sleeve 22. The shaft is provided with a keyway 25 while the sleeve is provided with a corresponding keyway in which a key 26 is mounted. The ends of the key may be shouldered to extend over the ends of the sleeve for locking the key against displacement during sliding movement of the shaft. By the arrangement just described, the planetary drive shaft 25 may be positively rotated by pulley 23 and yet is free for longitudinal movement relative thereto.

The bearing boss I1 is bored to slidably receive the rack sleeve 21 and is transversely counterbored to receive rack pinion 28. It will be'understood that the teeth of the pinion mesh with the teeth formed upon the rack sleeve and that by means of the operating handle 29 the pinion may be rotated to cause the rack sleeve to be shifted with relation to its bearing boss H. The planetary drive shaft 24 passes freely through rack sleeve 21 and, therefore, the, rotation of the shaft 1 the flanged lower end of sleeve 21 in any suitable manner, as for example by the screw means 33, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The planetary 7 gear is bored to receive shaft 24 while the lower end of the gear bore may be counterbored' to re' ceive a bearing bushing 34 for journally supporting the shaft. By fastening the planetary gear 32 tothe rack sleeve 21, it will not rotate during the operation of the machine but may be lifted or lowered with sleeve 21 by means of the actuating handle 29.

A planetary head 35 is securely fastened upon the lower end of shaft 24 in any suitable manner. One example of such a mounting is clearly shown in Fig. 2. A thrust washer 36 (Fig. 2) is provided between the adjacent faces of the planetary gear 32 and head 35. Due to this arrangement, a downward movement of the rack sleeve 21 will be transmitted through the planetary gear 32, thrust washer 36, planetary head 35, and finally to shaft 24. It will be remembered that an upward movement of sleeve 21 acted against collar 30 to lift shaft 24. Thus, due to the construc-' tion described, each reciprocatory'movement imparted to the sleeve by the actuating handle 29 will cause a direct and equal movement of the drive shaft and as the planetary head 35 is securely fastened thereto an equal movement of this head.

The planetary head 35 may be provided with one, two, or any desired number of valve-seat collar spindles 31, which have their rotative' axes parallel tothe rotative axis of the head and are spaced therefrom a suitable. distance. As all of thespindlesmay be alike, the description of one will do for all.

The spindle 31 may be journaled in a suitable boss 38 formed on the head and may be arranged for rotary motion only, however, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the spindle is arranged so that alimited amount of longitudinal movement relative to the head may be. had. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the boss 38 of the planetary head is bored to accommodate a pair of spaced antifriction bearings 39. A sleeve 4|] is carried by bearings 39 and is provided at its lower end with a flange 4| which acts r to retain the sleeve and lower antifriction bearing in operative relation while the sleeve, adjacent the upper surface of the upper antifriction bearing is shouldered to receive a planetary pinion 42. The pinion is clamped against the sleeve shoulder by means of the. nut 43 screw threaded upon, the

sleeve. The hub of the pinion also overlies the inner portion of the antifriction bearing, thus retaining the upper bearing in operative position. Due to the mounting of sleeve 40, it may be r0- tated freely by its related pinion but is locked The spindle against longitudinal movement. shaft 44 is slidably mounted in the bore of sleeve 4|] and is caused to rotate with the spindle by providing the sleeve with a suitable keyway 45 and. shaft 44 with a suitable key 46. The upper portion of shaft 44 is of reduced diameter and has secured upon its extreme upper end a lifting knob 41. The upper end of sleeve 40 has a bore of reduced diameter to accommodate the corresponding portion of the shaft. A spring 48,

mounted with sleeve 40, surrounds that portion of the shaft having the reduced diameter and acts between the inwardly directed shoulder of the sleeve and the shoulder of the shaft, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, to yieldingly urge the shaft or smallersize' are to be lapped in the machine.

The teeth of planetary pinion 42 mesh with the teeth of the planetary gear 32 and as the planetary gear is-held stationary during the rotation of the planetary head 35 the planetary pinion travels around the planetary gear and thus causes the rotation of the spindle. By this arrangement,

' spindle 31 receives a rotary motion about its own simultaneously therewith rotation axis and around the axis of the planetary drive shaft 24.

As may be observed in Fig. 2, the teeth of the I planetary gear 32 are not formed across the full width of the gear, thereby leaving a smooth peripheral edge around the top edge of the gear.

A protective casing 52 maybe fastened uponthe uppersurface of boss 38 as by means of screws 53. The casing is appropriately formed to substantially inclose the planetary pinion and is provided with an arcuate edge 54 which closely fits the peripheral edge of the planetary gear. An opening 55 is provided in the casing to permit the upper end of the. spindle sleeve to project therethrough. 1

By reference to Fig. 4, it may be observed that a turntable is suitably journaled upon-a base plate l2 and is provided with a drivingpulley 6|, by means of which. the table may be rotated. It should benoted that the rotative axis of the table is parallel to and spaced from the rotative axis of the planetary drive shaft 24, however,

this relation may be modified to suit such other conditions as may be desired. 7

The surface of the table which isdirected to-' ward the planetary head is relatively flat and smooth and may be covered with a resilient tractive material 62, as for example rubber. The resilient material may be fastened to the table by means of an annular ring 63and screws 63*. A guard ring 64 may be fastened to the peripheral edge of the table by any suitable means, not shown.

It is desirable to simultaneously drive the table and planetary head for which purposeany suitable form of driving means may be provided. A simple and eifective driving means is shown in the drawings and includes an electric motor 65 mounted upon a rearwardly extending base plate bracket 66. The motor drives through a suitable coupling 61 (Fig. 3) a line shaft 68 which may be extended sufiiciently to drive a series of lapping machines. Mounted upon the rear face of standard l3 isa gear box 69 through which the line shaft extends. J ournally mounted upon the line shaft within the gear box is a bevel gear 10 which meshes with two other bevel gears 1| and 12;

The bevel gear1| is fixed to the upperend of the in the chucks.

The bevel gear 12 is fixed upon the lower end of the'upper shaft 16. One end of shaft I6 is journaledin the gear box while its upper end is journaled in a bearing bracket 11, which bracket is appropriately fastened to the rear face of standard I3. A pulley I8 is fastened upon shaft 16 above the bearing bracket and is operatively connected to pulley 23 of the planetary drive shaft by means of a belt 19.

The bevel gear 10 which is iournaled upon the line shaft 68 may be releasably connected thereto by means of an ordinary form of clutch (Fig. 3). A clutch handle 8| extends forwardly into convenient reach of the attendant. By means of clutch handle 8i, the clutch 80 may be rendered active to establish a driving connection between the line shaft 58 and the bevel gear 10. The rotation of bevel gear 10 will in turn simultaneously drive the bevel gears H and '12 and thereby simultaneously drive the turntable and the planetary head. Upon completion of the lapping operation, the machine may be stopped by actuating the clutch handle 8| to release the clutch and thereby interrupt the driving connection between the line shaft and bevel gear in.

In the operation of the lapping machine of this invention, a chuck 50 of proper size will be mounted upon the end of each spindle 31. The lapping machine illustrated in the drawings is provided with two spindles 31 but it is to be understood that the planetary head may be provided with a greater number of spindles if desired. After the chucks have been mounted upon the spindles, the valve seats 5| may be inserted Next the planetary head may be elevated by means of handle 29 to permit a valve ball 82 to be positioned between the lower-most seat of each valve member and the resilient tractive surface of the turntable, whereupon the planetary head may be lowered until the seats engage their related balls. After the seats and balls have been brought into engagement, the planetary head may be lowered still further which additional movement of the head is permitted due to making the spindle shafts 44 longitudinally movable relative to the planetary head and will result in compressing the spindle springs 48 whereby these springs will now act to yieldingly urge the valve seats into close contact with the surface of their related balls. When the spindle springs 48 have been tensioned sufficiently to cause the valve seats to seat against their rerespective balls with sufiicient force further lowering of the planetary head may be'stopped. The machine is now set for operation. Before starting the machine, a small amount of lapping compound may be applied to each ball or, if preferred, the lapping compound may be applied to the balls or seat, or both, before the balls are placed in the machine.

The machine may now be placed into operation by rendering the motor 65 active and then placing the table and planetary head driving means into operation by means of the clutch handle 8 i. During the operation of the machine, the turntable '60 and planetary head will be rotated. It is to be understood that in some instances it may be desirable to rotate only the table and in others only the head, however, it is preferred to rotate both the head and table. During the rotation of the planetary head, the valve seat spindles will travel around the rotative ends of the planetary head and while so traveling will be rotated around their own axes by their planetary pinion 42 traveling around the stathe ball with the valve seat of its related seat and,

therefore, that portion of the valve seat which acts to push the ball along will be lapped to a greater extent than that portion of the seat directly opposite unless the valve seat is continuously rotated so as to continuously present to the ball a different portion of the valve seat whereby a very even and accurate lapping effect is obtained.

By providing the turntable with a flat surface, the balls may roll smoothly along the surface of the table during the lapping operation. It has been found that a better lapping action may be had by providing the table with a resilient surface, such as for example rubber, and that the rubber surface acts as a tractive surface, that is, it insures a more positive turning of the balls.

For some lapping conditions it may not be necessary to rotate the table. For heavy work if the table were not rotated the balls would continuously roll over the same path and would soon wear grooves in the table. By rotating the table the balls are given a greater turning movement, thus speeding upthe lapping action. It is desirable to provide a turntable of sufficient size so that the balls will never cross the axial center of the table, whereby during the rotation of the planetary head and table the balls will roll along continuously changing paths on the table and, therefore, will not wear grooves in the surface of the table.

When the lapping operation has been completed, the planetary head need not be lifted to remove the balls and seats but instead each spindle shaft may be lifted sufficiently by means of its lift knob 41 against the action of its spring 48 to remove the ball and thereafter the valve seat may be removed from the chuck. As may be observed in the drawings, each of the valve seats is provided with two opposed seats and the seat members are symmetrical in all respects. The chucks are made to fit nicely over the body portion of the seat members topermit them to be easily placed in or removed from the chucks.

After one of the seats of the valve seat member has been fully lapped, the valve seat member may be removed from the chuck and rep-laced therein in reverse direction to present the other seat for lapping. Preferably the same ball which was used to lap the first seat of each valve member will be used to lap the second seat. By use of the spindle knobs 41, the spindles may be raised to enable the balls to be returned into lapping arrangement with their related valve members. The machine may be placed in operation, as previously described, to institute the lapping operation. When the second seat of each of the valve members has been fully lapped, the valve members may be removed from the machine and the balls which cooperated in the lapping operation are preferably retained and form the valve balls for each of their related valve members. The seats of the valve members, together with their related valve balls, may now be tested to determine'if they are fluid-tight. If not, and no defects have shown up, the leaky valves may be replaced in the ma chine for further lapping. Usually very little additional lapping will be necessary. In most cases the valves are lapped to a perfect seat dur-' the valve members and ball which were lapped I together as a pair forming alcompletelvalve. V

In use, when one of the seats of the valve member has worn sufficiently to justify a change, the

valve member may be reversed, thereby presenting its second seat to the valve ball and in most cases it has been found that the Valve ball wears so slightly that it will form a perfect seal with the second seat of the valve member. However,

should for some reason the valve ball also need replacing, a new'ball may be used in its place. The new ball will form a'fluid-tight seal with the second seat of the valve member as it was lapped to a perfect seat with a new ball in the first instance. It will be appreciated that the balls wear very slightly during the lapping operation and that the same ball will seat perfectly upon both of the seats of the valve member after the lapping operations.

The lapping machine of this invention is relativelyinexpensive of manufacture, simple in operation, and may be successfully operated by relatively unskilled attendants. will quickly and accurately lap the seats of the valve members into perfect sealing relation with their related valve balls.

Having fully described the invention, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to the details herein set forth but the invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

The machine,

rotated and turned so that all portions of each ball will be brought, into engagement with its seat during the lapping operation, means for rotating said surface, and said tractive surface having'a center of rotation beyond the cycloidal like path scribed-by the balls upon said surface so that the balls will roll along ever changing paths.

2. In a lapping machine, a relatively flat tractive surface, means for rotating said surface, a planetary head opposed to said surface and rotatable about an axis parallel to but spaced from the rotative axis of said surface, a spindle rota-' tively and slidably mounted in said head and having its center of rotation spaced from the rotative axis of said head, means for rotating said head, means for, rotating the spindle during the rotation of said head, said spindle having means for operatively carrying a valve seat to be lapped, a valve ball for said seat, and means for yieldingly urging the spindle toward said surface to in turn yieldingly urge the seat against said valve ball positioned between the seat and surface.

VICTOR MANCUSO. 

